


Be Mine This Christmas (Party)?

by fallofthereichenbach



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas Party, M/M, eighth year, fake dating (kind of)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2019-02-23 06:39:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13184457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallofthereichenbach/pseuds/fallofthereichenbach
Summary: Draco wants to go to Slughorn's Christmas party. Harry doesn't know who to take.Draco has an idea. Harry doesn't like it.(This is an Eighth Year fic, despite me originally publishing the first chapter as being set during their sixth year!)





	Be Mine This Christmas (Party)?

**Author's Note:**

> I have changed this so that it is set when Harry, Draco etc return to Hogwarts for their eighth year!

Harry barely even noticed that the invitation to the Slug Club's Christmas party had dropped out of his bag until he was making a lunchtime trek from the library to the Gryffindor common room and he felt something nudge his arm.

It was a little paper bird, folded from a slip of garish red and green card that Harry reluctantly recognised. He unfolded it, fully intending to just flatten it out and shove it into his bag, but his eye was caught by the second piece of paper stuck to it, underneath Slughorn's large, spoopy signature.

'Need a plus one?' it read, in neat handwriting that seemed faintly familiar. Harry looked over his shoulder at the empty corridor stretching out behind him, and sighed. He had hoped that no one would find out he was going until he'd decided who to take and then it would be too late, but alas it seemed he could add stalker to his list of worries this year. Great.

The invitation was safely stowed back in his bag and he'd barely taken a step forward when a voice came from the doorway of one of the classrooms behind him.

"Common courtesy usually dictates that you send a note back in response, but then I suppose you were never that polite."

Malfoy. So not just some stalker then. Harry didn't know if he should be relieved or disheartened.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" He asked, after turning round to make sure that his assumption was correct. He knew that he'd be able to recognise that voice anywhere, yet part of him was reluctant to accept the taunting that would surely be on it's way.

"I thought my note was pretty clear," Malfoy casually sauntered over from where he had been leaning, hidden, against the door frame, "I wanted to know if you're going to that awful Christmas party that Slughorn's throwing."

"What's it to you?"

"Wow, defensive much? Can't a guy just go round making small talk every now and then?"

"Not when it's you, no," Harry said, before sighing; maybe it was hopeless, "Yes, alright? I am going. Are you?"

"Oh, that depends, that depends."

"On what?"

"On a whole bunch of things."

Harry rolled his eyes and started to walk away, but Malfoy darted round so that they were walking in step.

"What's your rush, Potter, where are you headed?"

"Gryffindor common room," Harry said, knowing with some satisfaction that at least Malfoy couldn't follow him there, "Is there anything else you want to know, before I hex you?"

"C'mon Potter, you haven't even answered my original question."

"What, about who I'm taking?" Harry scoffed, "Why do you care?"

"Call me nosy-"

"Nosy."

"-but I want to know, and you're going to tell me."

"I am, am I?" Harry challenged him, "Maybe I've found someone perfect to go with; maybe I'm going alone. Either way, it's none of your fucking business.

"So touchy, so touchy. I'm guessing, then, that you have no one to go with, and feel rather insecure about this fact. Being the 'Chosen One' and all, you wouldn't want all those fame-obsessed girls in the younger years finding out that they have a chance - imagine the stampede."

Harry didn't know how Malfoy was able to read him like that, but it meant that lying was pointless.

"Alright, ferret, as things stand I'm going alone. Happy?"

"Very," Malfoy grinned, and Harry felt perplexed. If there was one thing Harry thought he could be sure of, it was that Malfoy would rise to a reference to the ferret incident; but apparently not.

"Right. Leave me alone then?"

"Nah, not just yet. You're missing the obvious solution to your woes."

"I couldn't give less of a shit, to be honest with you."

"Thank you for your honesty," Malfoy said sarcastically, perhaps trying to lull Harry into a false sense of security before dropping the following bombshell: "Ask me to go to the party with you."

It was so highly unexpected that Harry's feet ground to a halt, refusing to move. Malfoy carried on a little way before presumably noticing the lack of movement beside him and turning to look at Harry with a patronising gaze.

"Excuse me?"

"Ask me to the party. Go on. I've no intention of refusing."

"I'm not going to Slughorn's party with you; Merlin in a cauldron, I'd rather go with Slughorn himself. You're kidding, aren't you?"

"Nope. 100% serious here, and getting to be 100% offended too. I assure you I'd make a much better date than Slughorn."

"Debatable." Harry said, glaring at Malfoy though he didn't really know what was going on. Malfoy's voice seemed light, and he was barely sneering; it was un-nerving, like a snake sticking it's tongue out just to mock you. Harry (being Harry, after all) decided to poke the serpent anyway. "Why do you want me to ask you, anyway?"

"Oh, I thought it would make a fun evening," Malfoy said airily, though he dropped some of the pretence when Harry raised his eyebrows, "Alright, Blaise got invited and he's been insufferable ever since. I need to go too just so he'll shut up about it."

Harry tried to channel the Professor McGonagall look of sternness, and maybe it worked; Malfoy shifted his gaze to the window.

"I recently got some new dress robes and wanted to try them out?" He said, in one final attempt to avoid the truth, before deflating a little, "Okay, well, on top of all that... Father asked me to, said it would help to improve the Malfoy name if I got into Slughorn's good books."

"You think going to Slughorn's party is going to make up for everything in the war?"

"Strong words considering you're the one who stopped me going to prison because you claimed not to think that I deserved the punishment. If it makes any difference, Father didn't ask me to do it for him. It's Mother who is struggling with it all; she can't so much as go out buy food without being spat at and refused service."

"And you expect me to help you with that?"

"You're Harry the Hero, isn't that what you do? Help people?"

"Maybe when they deserve it."

Harry knew he was going back on pretty much everything he had said at the Malfoy trial after the war; he had, at the time, defended Malfoy and his mother as much as he could. It had meant that only Lucius was sent to Azkaban, and Malfoy was still allowed back to Hogwarts for eighth year. Harry had owed them a debt, and now that he had paid it he didn't much feel like sticking around.

"Potter, I've asked pretty much everyone else on the guest list and no one is able to take me. You're my only hope."

"Well then it looks like old Lucius will be having a bad day. The Malfoy name isn't something that I care about in the slightest; let it go to hell for all I care."

"I can't disappoint my father further, Potter. I am asking quite seriously for your help right now," Malfoy said, and for once Harry couldn't spot a trace of deception in those steel-grey eyes of his.

"Why are you asking me? Did it slip your mind that we've pretty much been in one big argument since first year? Did you forget all the things you've said about me and my friends? Do you expect me to forget?"

"No. I don't forget, and I know you won't either. But... Could we, perhaps, put that behind us, for one evening? Or even just pretend?"

"Can you stop being a racist, prejudiced, privileged idiot for just one evening - can you even pretend that, or is it literally in your blood?"

Malfoy dropped his eyes to the floor, as though he might be ashamed.

"I will admit that in the past I have said and done questionable things-"

"Really? You'll admit that? Oh, Malfoy, what a long way you've come!" Harry's voice was getting louder, and he wondered how long they had until lunch was finished.

"Potter, I gave apology after apology during and following my trial. This is a long way for someone like me. I am learning - starting to learn - slowly-"

"Well it's not quickly enough, sorry. Bye, Malfoy. Say hi to your father from me."

Harry brushed past him, and didn't look back. 

 

*

 

It was a week until the party on Saturday. 

Malfoy had a week to persuade Harry Potter.

He wasn't going to give up.

**Author's Note:**

> Alright lads, I'm going to be real with you here; I haven't read the HP books in years, this was written during a HP film marathon, and it was not proofread. Therefore, there are likely to be some inaccuracies/inaccuracies. Just a lil explanation for anyone who noticed any. Please have mercy.
> 
> Also did anyone get the (kinda obscure, sorry) reference to Joe Orton's 'Loot'? No?
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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